Extending network services using mobile agents

Abstract

A technique fulfills service requests in a system of computers that communicate as nodes within a network. The technique involves sending, in response to an initial service request that requests a service provided by a primary server node, a mobile agent from the primary server node to an intermediate node. The mobile agent indicates to the intermediate node that a secondary server node is capable of providing the service. The technique further involves intercepting, at the intermediate node, a subsequent service request sent from a client node to the primary server node, the subsequent service request requesting the service, and sending an instruction from the intermediate node to the secondary server node. The instruction instructs the secondary server node to provide the service. The technique further includes providing, in response to the instruction, the service from the secondary server node to the client node.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 404,776, filed Sep. 24, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,157, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 102,121 filed Sep. 28, 1998, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]Computer networks, such as the Internet, private intranets, extranets, and virtual private networks, are increasingly being used for a variety of endeavors including the storage and retrieval of information, communication, electronic commerce, entertainment, and other applications. In these networks certain computers, known as servers or home servers, are used to provide some type of service such as access to information (e.g., data or programs) stored in various computer file formats but generically referred to herein as a “document”. While in the Internet the documents are typically primarily composed of text and graphics, each such document can actually...

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